SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Frankie Luvu’s try to order breakfast the day earlier than the Carolina Panthers reported for coaching camp was something however easy.
“Do you’ve common eggs and turkey bacon?” he requested at a Charlotte-area restaurant.
“No turkey bacon,” the server responded.
“Sausage?” Luvu requested. The server replied they solely had thick-cut pork-belly bacon.
The 26-year-old linebacker from the village of Tafuna in American Samoa discovered early in his profession to fastidiously management his caloric consumption. He patiently modified his order to avocado toast and eggs, tossing in a facet order of salmon simply because the server left the desk. Luvu understands the advantage of endurance in addition to anybody after going from signing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2018, to taking part in in obscurity for many of his first 4 NFL seasons, to lastly turning into an everyday starter in 2022.
“I say discover the great in every thing,” Luvu informed ESPN. “There’s all the time going to be a foul right here and there. That’s one thing I take from day-after-day, simply being who I’m.”
Along with his former workforce coming to Wofford Faculty for a pair of joint practices with the Panthers on Wednesday and Thursday, 39-year-old Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers will get a lot of the headlines.
However Luvu has a great story, too. He lately handed the take a look at for American citizenship and is entrenched with Shaq Thompson at inside linebacker because the Panthers transition from a 4-3 to a 3-4 base protection.
He’s coming off his greatest season — setting career-highs in video games began (14), tackles (111) and sacks (7.0) — resulting in buzz he might be a breakout defender, one thing that was arduous to think about his rookie 12 months when he went backwards and forwards between the Jets’ follow squad and 53-man roster.
He’s on this place partly due to a bond he constructed with Corridor of Famer Kevin Greene — a former Jets exterior linebackers coach who performed three seasons for the Panthers.
Based on Luvu, Greene instilled in him every thing from a passionate perspective for the sport to the weight loss program that made Luvu so fastidious about his breakfast order.
“I wouldn’t be the place I’m if it wasn’t for him,” Luvu mentioned of Greene, who died of a coronary heart assault in 2020 on the age of 58. “He noticed one thing in me that I didn’t even see myself. He was on my ass always.”
That Luvu is working below senior defensive guide Dom Capers — the primary head coach of the Panthers who labored with Greene each when Greene was a participant and an assistant coach — makes it particular.
“I really like Dom,” Luvu mentioned as he scarfed down a chunk of salmon. “One large purpose, he coached Kevin Greene.”
Greene laid out the identical steps to success that he himself adopted to turning into a five-time Professional Bowl choice and two-time league sack chief.
“Examine habits. Consuming habits. Sleeping,” Luvu recalled. “He mentioned, ‘If you wish to be nice, all these habits you’ve obtained to do.’”
Carolina coach Frank Reich, a former NFL quarterback, sees Greene’s affect. He was reminded of a latest dialog with basic supervisor Scott Fitterer.
“I mentioned, ‘How did we find yourself with this man?’ ” Reich mentioned of Luvu. “I used to be, ‘Man, that is the steal of the century.’ Love his management. Love his play, his consistency, his aggressiveness. We’re in a great place with Frankie.”
The Panthers signed Luvu to a one-year deal in 2021 after he was untendered by the Jets, making him a free agent.
Whereas he began solely 4 video games and had just one.5 sacks that season, Fitterer and former coach Matt Rhule noticed sufficient in him to maneuver on from sack specialist Haason Reddick throughout the 2022 offseason and provides Luvu a two-year, $9 million extension.
Luvu responded together with his greatest season, displaying he might attain the potential Greene acknowledged.
“It was powerful love,” Luvu recalled of days Greene would choose him up at house and work with him individually throughout his rookie season. “However he saved it actual. From what I see with Dom, I see why KG was like that.”
Capers sees a resemblance to Greene, from Luvu’s reckless abandon to the way in which Luvu meticulously fixes his jersey to suit pores and skin tight round his shoulder pads so offensive linemen don’t have something to seize.
“He’s going to go 100 miles per hour each single play,” Capers mentioned. “He throws his physique round with disregard and simply has a really aggressive mindset. Kevin had that very same mentality.”
Greene turned that right into a Corridor of Fame profession. His 160 sacks rank third all-time in NFL historical past and first all-time amongst linebackers. Whereas Capers doesn’t predict that path for Luvu, the Panthers consider the perfect is but to come back.
“He may be taking part in a special place, however his instincts, his reckless type, his pursuit of the ball, that follows in every single place on protection,” Fitterer mentioned.
“And we’ll nonetheless use him exterior. He’s not simply going to be solely at inside linebacker. There’ll be some conditions the place we put him exterior and blitz him and do various things with him.”
Luvu is anticipated to get about 20 % of the snaps exterior behind Marquis Haynes, Yetur Gross-Matos and rookie DJ Johnson as the sting rusher reverse Professional Bowler Brian Burns.
“Frankie’s power is he’s a flexible man who can drop in protection and in addition rush the passer,” Capers mentioned. “That’s useful, as a result of he offers you the power to disguise whether or not a man’s dashing or dropping.”
One other certainly one of Luvu’s strengths is his capacity to encourage teammates. Cornerback Donte Jackson calls Luvu the “Energizer Bunny.”
“He’s that man that will get everyone going,” Jackson mentioned. “He’s first to the ball. He’s first to the huddle. He’s that man who brings that edge.”
Luvu is simply centered on dwelling as much as the requirements Greene set for him. He is aware of if Greene had been alive he can be proud.
“He would undoubtedly examine on my weight,” mentioned Luvu, who at 6-foot-3 and 236 kilos is barely lighter than Greene’s taking part in weight. “He simply is aware of the load is essential on the place. He was all the time harping on what number of energy you’ve.
“However greater than something he would inform me don’t let one other grown-ass man whip you. You are taking the combat to them.”
